Monday, May 3, 2010

TPURAM: An all-party delegation from the state will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday to take up certain specific demands of the state concerning National Highway development, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said here on Monday.

One of the main demands was that the width of the NH in the state should be limited to 30 feet, considering acute pressure on land, Achuthanandan told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

The state was also against the BOT route in highway development arguing it would amount to taxing the people for long. Instead, the LDF Government had been pressing the Centre to shell out its own funds for road development.

Chief Minister had last month convened an all-party meet here to discuss these issues, where the decision to send a delegation was taken.

Since the density of population is high in Kerala, complaints have poured in from every part of the state about the acquisition of land for the highways. In many cities and towns, traders forums have also come out raising objections on the alignment of highways in their respective areas.